Kouga forked at his food, then sighed. "It's something about dying and coming back that ruins your appetite."

Inuyasha snorted. "Eat, you stupid wolf. It's been an entire day. And I know you didn't eat before then. Kagome didn't bring you back just for you to die again of starvation."

"I'm still confused. How did she bring me back, mutt? And was it my fault that she was in pain? Or was it because of...Naraku?" He growled lowly, calming when Ayame sat a hand on his bicep.

"I'll be damned if I know. And we won't know until she wakes up."

"Daddy." Katsumi yanked on her father's sleeve.

Koga smiled down at his daughter. "Hm?"

"Who Ka-sho-me?"

"Kagome, the human...well, once human woman that helped me."

"You growl for Kagome like you do mommy. Why?"

Koga frowned. "Why? I don't know."

Katsumi gave a frown that matched his. "You growl for mommy because you love mommy. You love Kagome?"

Silence spread in the dining hall as they waited for an answer. Koga blushed a little, looking away. "I did. I still do...as a friend."

"She take you away?"

"No one could ever take me away from my future princess. You'll be the most beautiful hime who ever existed, Katsumi. And I will still be there. You are my everything, my precious daughter."

She smiled, liking that. For a moment, she thought she'd have to hate the woman who'd brought her father back.

Attention turned to the doors when they heard talking coming from outside it.

"My lady, would you like some new robes?"

"My lady, how about some new footwear?"

The doors slammed open, and a sulking Kagome trudged in, two servants right behind her.

"My lady, would you like for me to comb you hair?"

"My lady, perhaps I could bathe you?"

"My lady, w-"

Kagome paused in her step. Clenching her eyes shut, she whirled on them, revealing feral red eyes, "I don't need anything but silence! So leave me the fuck alone! Damnit! What the fuck do I look like to you?!"

The servants shrank, falling back on their butts in fear. "F-forgive us, lady!" They bowed.

She growled. "Stand up! You aren't slaves! You are servants, who are rewarded for their deeds!"

They shot to their feets.

"If you don't show respect for yourselves, no one will, got it?! Stop pampering me! Stop falling at my feet! Stop-" Her eyes softened suddenly, and she turned her back to them, staring at the floor. "Forgive me. I don't know what's wrong with me. You may go."

"Milady-"

"Please, just go."

They stared at her, sympathetic. 'Our poor lady.' Sighing, they bowed to her back, turned, and left.

Kagome sank into her seat and growled upon noticing all eyes on her. "What the fuck are you looking at? Act like I got a damn mickey momo." She didn't even know what she'd said.

Eyes blinked, before they looked away.

Kagome sighed. "Sorry. Sorry. I'm just stressed. I don't know what to do." She smiled weakly when Kakudan sat in her lap. "Hi, sweetie."

"Hey, mama." He embraced her, hoping to calm her.

"Oh, that feels so much better, my sweet little baby." She muttered, ruffling his hair. "Did you sleep well?"

He nodded. "I slept well."

"You slept? Since when did you speak-" Her eyes opened wide as she truly looked at him for the first time. "Holy sh- crap. What happened to you?" Her son looked like he was four years old!"

Kakudan shrugged. "Papa said you'd know."

Kagome frowned, arching a brow. "Papa? When did you talk to Naraku?"

"A second ago."

"How?" Her eyes grew hard.

He rapped his knuckles on his skull. "In my head."

Kagome's eyes filled with fire. When had that bastard formed a connection with her baby? She'd kill him. "He is a dead halfdemon."

"He said we'll be with him soon. He'll make you queen of the new world."

"Tell him to hell with him. I'm shutting off your connection."

Kakudan shook his head furiously. "No! I like talking to papa."

Kagome looked at him helplessly before slamming her head into the table repeatedly. "I. (slam) Hate. (slam) My. (slam) Life!"

"Miko." Sesshomaru called to her.

"What?" She bit.

"Firstly, wench, you are to show me respect. Secondly, it is useless to wallow in self pity. You laid down with the hanyou to produce your child, and now, you must deal with the consequences."

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Go to hell, you ice pick."

Sesshomaru glared at her heatedly. "Remember whose whom you reside in."

"I'll gladly leave."

Standing, he hissed, "Then be gone."

'Stop it!'

'Stop what?'

'Making mate want leave!'

'Hn.'

Kagome rose, setting her son aside. "Sayonara!"

Inuyasha sighed. "Calm down. Kagome, sit."

"Bu-"

"Sit down, Kagome. There's no use arguing with him."

She plopped into her seat. "When did you get so wise?" She rolled her eyes. "Maybe I sent you waaaay too many sit commands."

Inuyasha instantly fell face first to the ground, causing an erruption of laughter, and even a small chuckle from Kagome. He pushed himself up and cast his brother a glare, then looked at Kagome. "We'll find a way to handle this, okay?"

She didn't even acknowledge that she'd heard. Her claws twitched every few moments as she studied them. "Are my arms longer than they once were?"

"Your entire body has grown." Miroku commented, a perverted smile on his face. It remained even after a plate was shattered against his head.

Koga looked at her guiltily. She'd changed just after helping him. "Kagome, yesterday....when you were in pain. Was it because of your helping me?"

"I don't-" A sharp pain shot across the front of her head, and she winced, placing her head into her hands.

"Kagome!" Her friends rose to help.

She shook her head. "I'll be fine." Inhaling deeply, she felt her body drained. If it meant just what she thought it meant, she hated herself even more. But first, to answer Koga's question. "When I brought you back, all I did was reverse the time barrier around your body."

Everyone looked at her with interest, even Sesshomaru. "Time barrier?"

"Around our auras is a swaying, pale blue time barrier. It controls our lives. Anyway, I reversed the time, only on your body, not your mind. I accidentally reversed it to far, two years. Somehow, by my own carelessness and ignorance, our time barriers connected during the process, and my own time barrier sped up two human years. Because Kakudan is my flesh...the same happened to him."

"So, going by this, you're 21 now, and he is 4."

Kagome nodded numbly. "Yes."

Miroku frowned. "But if that is so, won't that occur everytime you reverse the time on something?"

"I would say yes, because I dont think there is a way around our barriers touching. However, I say no."

"Why?"

"I don't have that power anymore." She lifted her hands to stare at them. "I can no longer command the wind, water, fire, and earth. Nor can I command time. I am basically useless, save claws and fangs." Sighing, she fell back into her seat. "I'm hardly even a step up from being the weak, hopeless human I once was."

Her children cuddled into her sides, along with Akane. "You're not weak or hopeless."

Kagome wanted to smile and tell them otherwise, but she knew the truth. "I can't rely on Inuyasha to protect me, anymore. He has to protect Kikyo. Sango, you and Miroku are back back. Koga even has Ayame. So, as to not be so useless," Kagome stood, walked to Sesshomaru's side, and bowed, "I beg you, my Lord Sesshomaru, to become my sensei in the ways of the battle."

"You're kidding!" Inuyasha cried. "Why him?"

She smiled playfully at him. "You really think I need your help to learn how to swing a sword? I want precision and skill, Inuyasha."

He blushed a little, glaring at her as the others laughed. "I got plenty of skill."

"You do. Still, Sesshomaru's older. And I know he isn't called the 'Killing Perferction' for nothing. So, Lord Sesshomaru-sama?"

Sesshomaru rose to his feet, eyeing the little miko carefully. "Hn. There are conditions, miko."

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"There is a zero tolerance for lack of respect."

"Zero tol. Got it."

He narrowed his eyes as he circled her. "You must obtain a weapon."

Kagome nodded. "Obtain weapon. Check."

"You must be willing to awaken before dawn."

"Then, miko, you have become my student."

"Oh, thank you, Sesshomaru!" She launched herself into his chest, securing her arms around his waist.

Sesshomaru tensed. "Miko."

She drew back, blushing, and bowed. "Sorry, Lord Sesshomaru."

Kohaku narrowed his eyes. He was getting really tired of Sesshomaru. Standing, he cleared his throat, "Kagome?"

"Yeah, Kohaku?" She smiled at him.

"I was wondering if you could teach me archery sometime."

"Sure. It's been a while since I used a bow." Kagome wrapped an arm around his waist. "Onward march! Come on pups!"

Giggling, Shippo, Rin, Kakudan, and Akane rushed after her. "Yay! Outside to the gardens!"

Sango watched them out, smiling as she saw the blush on his cheek. When they were finally gone, she sighed, "Young love."

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked.

"You can't tell? Kohaku is in love with Kagome."

"I can see why. Lady Kagome is a very beautiful, kind, intelligent woman." Miroku agreed.

Inuyasha snorted. "How can you be so sure?"

Kikyo smiled at her hanyou, nudging his shoulder with hers. "You didn't see the sparkle in his eye?"

"The blush on his cheek." Sango giggled.

"The anger in his eyes when he saw her embrace Lord Sesshomaru."

"It's Sesshomaru. Maybe he was angry because he thought he would kill her." Inuyasha suggested.

Sango shook his head. "Kohaku loves Kagome! Kohaku loves Kagome! Kohaku loves Kagome!"

Sesshomaru stood from his seat abroubtly, leaving the room. Why did they keep chanting that? The human did not love the miko. And even if he did, he stood no chance.

'Against who?'

'What?'

'Boy stand no chance 'gainst who?'

'Hn.'

'Baka.'

Koga watched the Daiyoukai leave, a slight frown on his face. "You don't think he was upset by the thought of Kohaku loving Kagome, do you?"

"Are you kidding? This is Sesshomaru. He doesn't care about some human."

"Once human." Ayame pointed out.

"No dif to Sesshomaru."

Kohaku came storming back into the room, a scowl on his face. Sango frowned. "What's wrong Kohaku?"

He snarled as best a human could. "Why don't you go ask Lord We-begin-training-now-miko? I mena, he knew we'd only just left! She didn't get to teach me anything yet! She didn't even touch..." He trailed off, a blush coming to his face. "Gah!" He took off.

Sango blinked. "You sure about that, Inuyasha?"

"Keh. Maybe he just doesn't want her distracted by love."

"Hm. I'm not so sure about that." Miroku muttered thoughtfully.

"Sesshomaru, Kohaku seemed upset. We didn't even get to practice." Kagome looked down at the bow in her hand.

Sesshomaru glared at her. "Would you like to be my student or not, miko?"

"I would, but still. The poor guy."

"He is a boy."

"He isn't." Kagome argued. "Kohaku's really a man now. I didn't just say that because he was there."

"Are you aware that this 'man' has feelings for you?"

Kagome scoffed, waving her hand at him as she took the katana he offered. "Please. I'm the last person Kohaku could ever fall for."

Confused, Sesshomaru pressed, "Continue, and attack."

"Well, I mean, I'm too old for him. Gah!" She flitted in his direction, swinging her sword. Seconds later, she found herself on her back.

Sesshomaru looked down at her. "Age is simply a number. Keep your stance more erect. Attack again."

"Okay." Kagome jumped at him again, this time keeping straight as their swords clashed.

"If all beings dealt upon age, you would not have loved Inuyasha. His mother cared for our father. My mother loved my father."

"Your mother was younger? How so?" Kagome winced as she was pushed back, but she kept her footing. "YAH!" She cried out, swinging again.

Sesshomaru blocked the sword with ease. "Do not put so much energy into one attack. It is a waste. Also, tone down the battle cries to mere grunts."

She rolled her eyes. "Easy for you to say, demon." Gasping as Sesshomaru's sword came at her, she flipped over his head, turning immediately after she landed, and swinging.

"Well done." He complimented lightly, smirking at her blush. "My mother was hardly more than a pup when she and my father 'fell in love' as they put it."

"Oh." She ducked to avoid his sword, swinging at his legs with her own. "Why do you say 'as they put it'?'

Sesshomaru jumped above her sword, landing on it lightly. "Because love is merely a myth."

'No myth! You love miko!'

'No.'

"What?!" Kagome cried in shock, suddenly jerking her sword out from under him.

He faltered for a moment before jumping. "You rely too much on your emotions when in a battle." He reprimanded.

'Nice emotions!'

'Silence!'

'Stubborness is turn on!'

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Answer the question!" She leapt into the air, swinging down on him with a grunt.

'Answer her!'

'She has no right to demand such of this Lord! Do not distract me.'

'She mate!'

"Hn." Sesshomaru lifted his sword to stop her, and surprisingly, he was pushed down about a foot into the ground. "What possibly makes you believe this love exists?"

"What makes you think it doesn't?!" She stared, stunned, at Sesshomaru when he ran her into a tree, holding her there with his body. "S-sesshoma-ru?"

"Shippo, Rin, Kakudan, Akane, return to the palace." He ordered calmly.

"Mama?" They called.

Kagome tore her eyes from Sesshomaru to look over to them. "Go ahead." She watched her children leave, slightly fearful as to why Sesshomaru wanted her alone. 'He's going to kill me for prying.'

Sesshomaru simply stood there and observed the emotions that flitted within her eyes. Fear, confusion, curiosity, nervousness, and finally, anxiety. "Tell me, miko, what does your love feel like? How do you know when you are in love?"

She blinked. "W-well..."How the hell was she supposed to explain to a heartless killing machine what love was? "When you see someone you love, sometimes your heart stops. You just want to bathe in their presence, their scent, their essence."

His eyes widened slightly, and he found himself pressing his body closer to hers.

"You want them to hold you, and in return, you hold them. You want to feel whole, because, once you fall in love, you realize just how empty you are inside." Her gaze averted as it bacame harder for her to speak, not only because Sesshomaru was pushing her body too roughly, but because there were too many strong emotions flying through her. "When you see...someone touching the one you...you love, kissing them, gaining their attentions, hate...hate and anger you hardly knew you had gain inside you."

Sesshomaru nodded in slight understanding. "When you are in love, and you've dreamt of something... Once you finally have it, how does it feel?"

"I don't know. I never got...what I wanted." She smiled up at him sadly. "My momma told me...once, though, that when you finally...finally get your first kiss when the one you...care for, it doesn't even have to be love yet...but the entire world ceases around you."

"Hn."

"What? More questions?"

"Does anyone have the capability to love?"

"Of course! I mean, at first, I didn't...think so...But you proved me wrong with Rin."

His golden eyes lightened. Yes. He loved Rin. She was the daughter he never had. He allowed his eyes to roam from her eyes to her lips.

'You say I love the miko? You say she is destined to be ours.'

'Yes.'

'Then let us test it.'

'Wha-'

Sesshomaru gracefully inclined his head, gently lying his lips on Kagome's. As their lips made contact, and Kagome's eyes opened large in surprise, Sesshomaru felt his guard lower and the world cease, and yet, it sped up at the same time. His hair fluttered in a breeze that did not exist. The heat in his body rose to unbelievable levels. His heart pulsated roughly, so loudly that it numbed his ears, and yet, it gave him strength. Reluctantly, oh so reluctantly, he drew back, staring into her half lidded eyes. "Kagome, you've let your guard down. Your only mistake." He cupped the side of her face. "I can not have such a weakness. I cannot allow anything to become of these feelings. You must die."

Kagome went to move, but before she could even think to, Sesshomaru's sword sliced through her neck, and she fell to the ground, her head a good two feet away.